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Fotia
Fotia, or simply Fuego in the native tongue,' '''is a tribe of Natives located in the region of Itha. An endangered race of natives, the Fotan were almost entirely wiped out during Medusa's invasion on Inamorta, rivaling even the numbers of the recently-freed Elementals. Native Language Fotia's native population spoke a wide variety of languages, making them much more flexible than many others tribes in Itha. Their primary language, spoken by 12,000 Fotians region-wide, is Spanish. However, some 5,000 other Fotan tribal members could speak fluent Classical Nahuatl. Due to the near-extinction of Fotians, however, these numbers have depleted, making Classical Nahuatl rarely spoken in Itha. Only an estimated four hundred Fotan tribal members speak Classical Nahuatl, while only an estimated 1,200 speak Spanish. Political System As with many tribes in the Itha region, Fotia has a government system similar to a monarchy. The ruler, known as the Fuego divino, felt that they were appointed this role by the gods and are given the divine right to rule. Strengthening this tie to a monarchy, these governmental positions are given to blood heirs of the royal tribal family. The last known Fuego divino was Teetonka Shuman, but this political system was annihilated after Medusa's invasion, killing Teetonka and leaving the now-tiny Fotia tribe without a leader. Fotia's current chief is unknown, and possibly non-existent. Military Fotia's military was composed of an estimated 2,000 Fotian Tribesmen, 150 Horsebacks, and 50 heavy Fotian Shieldsmen. After the invasion of Medusa, these numbers were cut down to around one-tenth it's original size, leaving 200 Tribesmen, 15 Horseback, and a measly 5 heavy Fotian Shieldsmen. Each carried different uniforms, armaments, and war cultures. '''Fotian Tribesmen' Fotian Tribesmen were the basic infantry of the Fotia, composing about 90% of the Fotian military. These men were often trained in groups of 200, following a single tribal instructor for up to ten hours a day of training over the course of their childhood. Sworn under oath to serve the divino and his subjects, the Fotian Tribesmen often accompanied the Fotians on any expedition outside of Itha region. Although there were 2,000 in the tribe's military mass, the largest amount sent into a single battle was only 450. Many Tribesmen were often taking on other duties at the same time, resulting in split sectors of the army. This ultimately proved to be their downfall, as Medusa and her troops were easily able to stretch the Fotian's militia into multiple different areas, leaving the original tribe vulnerable to attack. The Fotian Tribesmen were equipped with large native shields, crafted in dark spruce wood commonly found in the Itha region. Engraved in these shields are the Fotian symbol, lined with copper imported from the mountains of Griffon's Province. In addition, these Tribesmen were also gifted individual Fotian crescent-tipped spears. These spears had a rod of dark spruce wood, and a long pointed tip crafted from copper. Decorative touches include the two moon-shaped appendages at the middle of the spear-tip, created from refined oak wood found in Spathi. With these fine utilities, the Fotia could have possibly defended their tribe long enough for Medusa to eventually lose interest, but due to ill-prepared battles and a weak strategy, the tribe eventually succumbed regardless. Fotian Horseback Fotian Horseback were the cavalry of the Fotian tribe, choosing to often use a bow in combat rather than the usual sword or spear. The men and horse operating the unit were put through specialized training in groups of 10, and were taught for 10 to 13 hours a day throughout their childhood. Unlike the Fotian Tribesmen, however, these Horsebacks were held back until the last strike during the Medusa conflict, being sent out as a pack of 150 to provide a cover fleet on the left for the main infantry on the battlefield. However, their ranged prowess made them less effective tactically than a larger mass of hand-to-hand combat forces. The Fotian Horseback were provided with the same large native shields gifted to the Tribesmen in the event that ranged combat proved ineffective and quick defense would be required for the well-being of the Horseback's rider. In addition, the Fotian Horseback were equipped with small, handheld bows made from the refined oak wood in Spathi. These bows were easily managed by the Horseback riders, and durable enough for hand-to-hand combat in a last resort situation. During the final battle for the era of Fotia, the Horsebacks suppressed the crawlers, but due to their sheer quantity, overcame this cover and continued to ravage the Tribesmen forces. These Fotian Horseback proved ineffective in combat, and with poor planning on the part of Teetonka, ultimately useless for the Fotian cause. Fotian Shieldmen Fotian Shieldmen were the defensive infantry of the Fotia tribe. The men were put through minimal training, taking about 3 hours every week to train throughout their childhood. Due to the simplicity of wielding a shield and a small handheld dagger, many sought less monotonous professions in the military, explaining the small population of Shieldmen in the Fotia military. Similar to the Fotian Horseback, the Fotian Shieldmen were held back until the final Medusa conflict in an attempt to build a strong defensive wall against the large hordes of Crawlers. This did prove effective for a while, however, the Crawlers had eventually worn through the Shieldmen ranks, eliminating a majority of their forces and almost leading the Fotian Shieldmen to extinction. A measly five Shieldmen were among those who retreated into the depths of Itha, abandoning their families and the tribe that they had fought for. The remaining warriors of this branch were condemned from the population, viewed forth as traitors to their otherwise accepting communities. Among these condemning acts include 'Retorno del Traidor', in which former veterans publicly apologize for their disservice to their tribe, before being accepted as part of the tribe during a celebratory process. Culture Science Fotians were known for their interest in science, carving their own philosophic views and partaking in the usual rituals in the academic fields. Using their own calendar system, the natives had created a form of measuring time that took both inspirations from that of their native ancestors and the modernity of higher civilization. One of their most notable feats was from the works of Apisi, who in 1194 had discovered that Inamorta's moon was cratered, extensively documenting the features of the moon every moment he could. Some say that he had even spent a week's worth of nights staring into the planetary body, pondering, admiring every spec of detail when the sky was free from clouds. = WIP Category:Itha